Dirty Love Bunny

Dirty Love Bunny
Oil on Panel, 12 x 12
Still Life

I had fun with this one. That appears to be the key to the good ones, just letting go and not stress over correctness and precision.


I had been wasting time all day, waiting for 4:30 to head out somewhere for an appointment. I don't like to start anything if i eventually have to leave it half way. I like to be there in front of it from start to finish. So i spent the day just pacing around, finding small things to do to pass the time.

Around 3pm, on my way back from 7 11, i thought to myself, "I could paint something real quick just for the hell of it, or keep doing nothing" I went with the decision to paint.

On the way in to my little studio, i saw this guy on the metal table outside in the back yard. The dogs have had it for years. They've played with it. Fought for it. Relieved their sexual tension with it. It was ugly, used, abused, and perfect for my quick thrill.

The initial drawing was kept simple, just the basic outline made with suggestive strokes of Burnt Sienna, just enough to get the gesture of it, no need wasting time in a detailed drawing was a primary thought in this step.

I then moved on to the dark areas, the shadow under and around the bunny for example, trusting my initial gesture, and not worrying about covering the canvas in an initial color wash as i usually do.

Keeping the paint thick and colorful, I moved on through different areas of the piece, working from dark to light, layering the strokes and continuing this way until i finished by adding the lights and highlights at the end.

All in all, this magical process took me a little over an hour to complete this painting, enough time to sit back and study it before i had to leave at 4:30pm, proud of myself for not having wasted more of my time doing nothing.

I owe a great deal of thanks to the current working process of using way more paint than i used to, as well as the hand held wooden palette, that has changed the way i work completely. But the main thanks goes out to the constant reminder i had in my head, one thing i had to catch myself and return to several times, take it easy and have fun!

Now on to the next one.